Regardless of if you consider it a seasoning, a vegetable serving or a sandwich topper, onions are one of the most versatile vegetables included in a kidney friendly diet.

Onions are low in sodium, potassium and phosphorus, regardless of the color or variety.

• One 1/4-inch slice from a large onion contains 2 mg sodium, 55 mg potassium and 11 mg phosphorus. Read more…

January is a great time to make positive lifestyle changes. If you have chronic kidney disease (CKD) or are a dialysis patient, consider resolutions around eating better to keep your nutrition up and manage potassium, phosphorus, sodium and fluid the best you can.

Among the DaVita resources, several tools are available to help you stay on track. There are Diet and Nutrition articles, kidney-friendly cooking videos and my favorite, DaVita Diet Helper.  All of these resources can help you stick with your 2010 kidney diet resolutions.

Sign up for DaVita Diet Helper an online kidney meal planner. This one-of-a-kind planner uses your diet prescription for protein and potassium to create several weeks of kidney-friendly meals including recipes, what to serve with the recipe and what to snack on in between meals. Read more…

In December I blogged about a new, fun way to learn about phosphorus coming to DaVita.com this spring.  Soon you can sign up to be notified when the Phosphorus Challenge is ready. Look for an announcement coming soon to the DaVita.com home page.

I’m really excited about Phosphorus Challenge. It’s a one of a kind online challenge that provides education about phosphorus by featuring games, quizzes, polls, points and social networking with others who are taking the phosphorus challange. Last week I met with the DaVita Dietitian Council to present the features and received very positive input. The dietitians are looking forward to this new online tool to help dialysis and chronic kidney disease patients learn more about phosphorus and how to control it.

I think you’ll have fun playing the games while increasing your knowledge about phosphorus, which is so important. Today, compared to several years ago, more emphasis is placed on phosphorus control in chronic kidney disease as research reveals new information about the harmful effects of phosphorus on bone mineralization and the role in calcifications of the heart and arteries.

Keep on the lookout for more news about the DaVita Phosphorus Challenge coming soon.

Kidney diet resources from DaVita.com

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